Major Prohibitions In Islam

If we study the forbidden things in Islam deeply and in detail, we will find that proscribing them is a step taken by Islam to protect humanity from perverse conduct and keep it away from dangers and evils.

Through these injunctions Islam protects man's psyche, body and soul within the individual sphere, and it safeguards other human relations and community life, within society from the risks of subversion, perversion and decadence.

Ideologically, Islam makes unbelief and distrust in Allah haram. Also, attributing injustice, incarnation and the like, to Allah the Glorious is haram.

Islam also makes haram superstition, charlatanism, blind imitation and anything that enslaves the mind's inquisitive and creative activity, and prevents a good understanding of life and existence. The relationship between man and Allah remains firm and binding, as it is the source of all human conduct and orientation, and it is the stimulus that moves it on the right path.

With regard to man's self, Islam makes haram anything that may lead to pollute man's inner life, kill his conscience and moral intuition, and that which may change his life to total misery and helplessness, and his conduct to an animalistic one devoid of any human feelings. Thus Islam makes malevolence, hatred. despondency, mistrust, etc. haram, in order to uplift the human soul to the highest level of perfection and cleanliness, and to protect and purify it from unhealthy traits and crookedness of conscience.

With respect to man's body, Islam makes haram all the activities, practices, and actions that are detrimental to health. Therefore, wine-drinking, adultery, eating the flesh of swine, dogs and many other unhealthy animals or for that matter animals killed by strangulation, carrion, and blood are all haram.

When Islam protects man's psyche and his body on the one hand, it pays due attention to protect the community from crime and harmful practices in the domains of sociology, politics, economy, the judiciary, education and so on.

Accordingly, Islam makes haram, oppression, usury, monopoly, cheating, theft, telling lies, backbiting, false witness, cursing, bribery, homicide, gambling, teaching and spreading harmful ideologies and ideas like those made popular through pornographic literature, films and pictures.

By so doing, Islam secures the health of both the individual and the society.

Islam rules that carnal sins which constitute the most grave danger to man and environment are haram.

A good look at these sins, and a deep pondering over them in the light of social experience, scientific research and sound thinking, illustrates to what degree they are dangerous to both the life of the individual and the stability of the society, and so helps one to understand the wisdom behind making these deeds haram in Islam.

It is of a great benefit to cite these prohibited things, which Islam warns Muslims not to commit, as painfully severe punishment is in store for them should they commit such acts, which if committed, may endanger life and social order.

The following are the main haram things:

1. Polytheism.
2. Desperation and despondency about one's fate and the idea that Allah will never have mercy on him.
3. The belief that Allah will never punish oneself.
4. Undutifulness towards one's parents.
5. Homicide.
6. Falsely accusing a married woman of committing adultery.
7. Taking away the orphan's possessions and money unjustly.
8. Fleeing the battlefield of jihad.
9. Usury.
10. Adultery.
11. Sodomy.
12. Witchcraft.
13. Perjury.
14. Bearing false witness.
15. Concealing testimony (about something one knows and can help establishing justice by giving it).
16. Drinking wine.
17. Breaking pledges.
18. Cutting off relations with one's near of kin.
19. Emigration from the Muslim homeland to a place where one's faith becomes a risk.
20. Theft.
21. Telling lies about Allah, His Apostle, Imams and common people or attributing to them something which they did not say.
22. Cannibalism.
23. Drinking blood.
24. Eating swine or flesh of animals that are slaughtered without mentioning Allah's name on them.
25. Ill-gotten money earned by selling wine, or gained through prostitution, dancing, as well as money gained through bribery, and the salaries given by the oppressive regimes when one cooperates with them to prop up injustice and implement their corrupt schemes.
26. Giving short measure and weight.
27. Supporting the oppressors.
28. Pride.
29. Extravagance.
30. Squandering money.
31. Fighting the faithful and callers to Islam.
32. Working as dancers and musicians.
33. Backbiting.
34. False accusation.
35. Cursing the faithful, insulting and humiliating them.
36. Talebearing.
37. Pandering or acting as pimps.
38. Cheating.
39. Sanctimoniousness.
40. Hypocrisy.
41. Ignoring or belittling one's sins and transgressions ...

Apart from these forbidden actions there are a lot more which result in corruption, haram and the ruination of life.

Haram acts are the plague and the greatest danger threatening the life of both the individual and society. Only by steering clear of them, can humankind protect and preserve their body and soul from decay and perfidy.

Medical, social and psychological studies have recently uncovered the grave dangers caused by the haram. Astonishing figures are emerging from research institutes, about the crimes, ailments and anomalous phenomena and cases in the communities that have dropped the concepts of halal and haram from their behaviour. Such statistics show how urgent it is and necessary to set to work in saving the human race and finding a way out of the predicament in which they wallow, after discarding the divine values and yielding to the bestial way of life. They should return to the straight path of Allah, which is the proof of the Almighty's kindness, mercy and generosity.